This invention relates to fire suppressant systems to defend against explosive type fires, e.g., in military tanks or airplanes. The invention can also be used in the suppression of other type fires characterized as "rapid growth" or "slow growth" fires, in such places as water pleasure craft, kitchens, off-the-road vehicles, oil wells, etc. The invention was devised primarily for use in explosive fire situations.
The invention is particularly concerned with a rapid-acting valve carried on the exit mouth of a pressure-resistant bottle containing pressurized fire extinguishant, such as Halon 1301. The term rapid-acting is here used to mean a valve whose valve element is enabled to move to an open condition within less than six milliseconds after the valve mechanism has first been subjected to an electrical operating signal.
Patents showing valves designed to perform the function achieved by my valve mechanism (but with greater discharge response times) are U.S. Pat. No. 3,209,937 to Hirst et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,474,809 to Gordon, U.S. Pat. No. 3,647,109 to Hebblethwaite, U.S. Pat. No. 3,750,755 to Kramer, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,788,400 to Tufts. The patent disclosure believed to have the most similarity to my invention is the disclosure in U.S. Pat. No. 3,647,109; however that patented device uses a rupturable metal diaphragm, whereas my proposed device operates without such a diaphragm.
One object of my invention is to provide a fire suppressant valve mechanism capable of handling a relatively large cross section fire extinguishant stream, e.g., about two inch diameter, or greater.
A related object is to provide a valve mechanism that comprises a relatively large diameter valve poppet.
Another object of my invention is to provide a valve mechanism that can maintain the fire suppressant bottle in a fully pressurized condition for an extended period of time, e.g., ten years.
A further object is to provide a valve mechanism that operates without reliance on a rupturable metal diaphragm.
An additional object is to provide a valve mechanism that is openable to discharge fire extinguishant without introducing metal fragments into the flowing stream (e.g., fragments from a rupturable diaphragm).
A further object is to provide a valve mechanism that can open in a relatively short period of time, e.g., five milliseconds or less.
Another object is to provide a valve mechanism that will remain leak free and operable under widely varying ambient temperature extremes, e.g., from low arctic temperatures near sixty degrees below zero Farenheit to high desert temperatures of one hundred forty degrees above zero Farenheit.